IN TOURING Europe this week, President Obama has portrayed Russia’s Vladi­mir Putin as a ruler with whom he can build a “constructive, cooperative relationship that moves us out of a Cold War mind-set.” It’s a blinkered view that willfully ignores the Russian president’s behavior.

LOST IN the hysteria being whipped up about Common Core standards is that the movement to infuse new rigor in schools started at the state level. Governors and state education officials, alarmed that U.S. students were being outpaced globally, banded together to develop clear and consistent standards. This sensible and badly needed reform should not be derailed by misguided and misinformed opposition.

A 58-YEAR-OLD man held at the D.C. jailwas found dead Tuesday and, though authorities have yet to officially determine whether the death was by suicide or homicide, the incident has raised questions about the decisions of court and corrections officials. It’s important that a prompt, full and transparent investigation take place.

THE UNITED States and the European Union continue moving toward a free-trade pact known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Last week, E.U. trade ministers agreed on a common opening position for negotiations, enabling President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron to say, on the sidelines of the Group of Eight Summit on Monday, that talks would begin next month in Washington. Touting the deal, Mr. Cameron said it could add $415 billion per year to the global economy, divided roughly evenly among the United States, Europe and everyone else. Mr. Obama pledged the deal is “going to be a priority of mine and my administration.”